Saturday, July 14, 2018

Bars Quilt Finished

The Bars quilt came from a workshop with Tara Faughnan. While I classify it as a Chinese Coins {which I certainly already knew how to create} learning how Tara uses solids might push me into including more solids in my own work.

The top has been sewn for months but I finally had time to quilt it. {Funny how much easier Bars 2 and 3 were to quilt. Oh, the joys of baby quilts.} Just simple straight line quilting with the walking foot again. This is 50-weight thread is slightly heavier than the 60-weight I previously used. The difference is unnoticeable in straight line work but becomes more apparent when stitching over previous lines in free-motion work. I hope this thread will hold up better as single lines.

Bars quilt with solid fabrics

My biggest takeaway from Tara's class was pairing colors by theme - not necessarily value. I mentioned before that we each created a personal sheet with color snippets for each prompt. Many people cut out one-inch squares or more for each; I pared the narrowest sliver from the selvedge for each. Hey, I might need that fabric!

The sheet is such a wonderful tool I pinned it on my cork board for easy reference.

Continuing to use my stash, I pulled three different shades of yellow, gold, and chartreuse Metler thread for quilting. Unless your nose is right on the quilting line the slight difference are hardly visible.

Bars quilt binding 

The back uses three larger remnants.

Back of Bars quilt shows
parallel quilting lines

Previous posts:
1. Bars workshop
2. Sewing the top

Quilt Details
Size: 60" x 64.5"
Design: Chinese Coins
Batting: Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon100% cotton
Thread: yellow, gold, and chartreuse Metler cotton thread
Quilting: Straight lines with walking foot

Two years ago I stored my fabric in one small and two larger boxes. The large ones became too heavy for me so I purchased four smaller boxes and transferred the stash. {DH took the big boxes off my hands and yes, he increased his junkheap  collection of important artifacts and tools.} My verbal plan was to whittle my stash down; obviously that wasn't the real plan. The fabric drought ended; I bought a bunch of colors that weren't in the stash. Like me, my stash has fattened over the years. But I have a plan...

Enjoy the day, Ann

30 comments:

Pamela Arbour said...

It's all about the plan! I have one too! LOL I am feverishly working on it!

Love your bar quilt. You are right. Those colors look great together.

Julierose said...

This is so spectacular, Ann; baby will just love those colors moving along in each row--you did a great job...
hugs, Julierose

Cindy said...

I LOVE this quilt! I have always sewn in solids but I would have loved to have been in this workshop with you. It was amazing how a few swaps brightened this quilt up so much!!!!!!!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I really like this quilt. You make me want to run to my scraps and start pulling solids.

Janie said...

I like the mix, 'opposites' do attract and make for exciting conversation!

Ann said...

I spend {or waste} a lot of time trying to work the plan. More fabric always seems to show up. Ha. I want to see what you're making, too.

Ann said...

Thanks, Julie Rose. I had fun with the workshop. It's always a treat to learn how others combine fabrics.

Ann said...

Thanks, Cindy. I hope you get to take a workshop with Tara. She has many good pointers about combining colors. Aren't we lucky to have digital cameras? They make taking process/progress photos so easy... as long as we remember to take them.

Ann said...

Thanks, Cynthia. I took the workshop to get back to working with solids.

Ann said...

Thanks, Janie. It was fun to use so many different solids and see them work together.

Pamela said...

Very nice. I don't use solids enough.

Ann said...

I used them in the 80s but haven't done much since then. It's interesting to work with them again but I still like prints better.

Mel Beach said...

Each of your finished Bars quilts has been fabulous! Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Mystic Quilter said...

I really can't say much more than what a stunning quilt Ann. Wonderful, wonderful colour!!

Ann said...

Thanks, Mel. It’s such a change to work with solid fabrics.

Ann said...

Solids make this so saturated with color. It reminds me of your garden photos; I’m amazed by the depth of color.

Sophie Zaugg said...

I love this quilt Ann ! So bright and bold. Like you I probably would have thought 'I know how to make this pattern'. Tara has a great sense of colour and it's interesting to hear that she includes some colour theory in her class.

patty a. said...

The quilt turned out fabulous! The quilting looks great too! I do have a question - what did you mean pairing fabric by theme?

Ann said...

She does have wonderful color sense and is able to explain it well.

Ann said...

Tara used words rather than the color wheel. Like spring, hot, happy, lagoon. We picked color pairs base on the nouns or adjectives.

Sujata Shah said...

As always, stunning finish Ann! I love how colors play with each other in this Bar/Chinese coin quilts. I would love to take a class from Tara one of thee days. xo

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

ANN another beautiful finish! Contratulations!

Ann said...

Thanks, Sujata. I enjoy classes that discuss how different people see color and fabric. You and Tara would have a great discussion. She has some methods to expand color combinations that would very well.

Ann said...

Thanks, Deb. It’s good to get these done.

audrey said...

Ooh, this quilt is just so crisp and beautiful looking! I have really admired the 2 color pairing of coins and now your texture perfectly sets it all off! Great texture. Good for you for getting this one to the finish line!

Gale Bulkley said...

This is such a lovely quilt.

patty a. said...

Thanks! That is an interesting and very cool way to make a pairing more on a emotional basis rather than a color wheel. I have used a word when I wanted to make a quilt that looked a certain way that would make me think of a beach or sunshine etc. Breaking it down to a theme for a pair of fabrics is not as overwhelming. I will have to remember this!

Ann said...

Thanks, Audrey. It was interesting to only look at two fabrics at a time and then figure out how to put it together. About halfway through it always looks like a mess but turns out fine in the end.

Ann said...

Thanks, Gale. Hopefully you can take a class from Tara sometime, too.

Ann said...

She had a whole bunch of themes and we just paired two each time. It was a good way to make many different combinations.